Symbolic bid to impeach Hong Kong leader

Move against Leung Chun-ying follows large pro-democracy street demonstrations against his continuity in office.

Thousands took to the streets of Hong Kong earlier this year urging Leung to quit [AP]

Hong Kong politicians have made an unprecedented attempt to impeach the leader of the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Wednesday’s bid to impeach Leung Chun-ying, the China-backed chief executive of Hong Kong, comes less than two weeks after thousands took to the streets on January 1 calling for Leung to quit and demanding greater democracy.

Emily Lau, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party, said that Leung had "cheated his way to power".

"This is the first time we have a motion in the legislature to impeach a cheating chief executive," Lau said about the city’s first impeachment motion.

The move is unlikely to succeed as the 27 legislators will be outnumbered by pro-China representatives in the 70-seat legislative council.

Leung was accused of lying, dereliction of duty and breaching the law by making illegal renovations to his mansion.

Ma Ngok, a political scientist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that this move is an attempt "to show the deep mistrust against the chief executive" suffering from a credibility crisis.

Leung made renovations to his home with illegal structures, which are a sensitive issue in the space-starved city of seven million.

He was chosen for office by a 1,200-strong election committee dominated by pro-China elites in July last year.